Is there anything better than a small town parade? Boy scouts, Shriners in little cars, unfurled flags, high school marching bands, local politicians doing their best princess waves, horseback riding, infinitely creative hand-decorated floats, and plenty of sweet, sweet candy with the extra flavor that comes of bouncing on the pavement a few times before being tussled over by eager children…. The Carson City Nevada Day parade is a big one, but keeps that feel – it must be the biggest small town parade around. It’s certainly my favorite.

You can’t help but come away from this event with a sense of civic pride and an appreciation for all the best of American tradition and history. As a prosecutor, my day-to-day work hours generally consist of wading around in some of the worst stuff humanity has to offer. Questing for clicks and ratings, too many of our news outlets focus on this underbelly as well – and the more time we spend in front of glowing screens instead of the real world, the more the bad stuff becomes what we believe to be reality. It’s not healthy.

A parade gets everyone outside, sitting next to each other, talking, joking, and fighting over candy instead of politics. It’s a reminder that we’re a community, and a display of so many things that make our state great. It’s a unifying event, weirdly apolitical even as the politicians march or ride by. Only the most wretchedly cynical among us can suppress an appreciative laugh at our local congressman scooping up the horse poo, proving that sometimes even the most obvious symbolism still resonates across all party lines.

The politicians are on display for their constituents, but the statesmen among them understand that the constituents are there to be seen as well. The thousands of people who show up early to get a good spot along the route for their camp chairs aren’t there to pay homage to anyone, but to enjoy a day with their families. With their presence, they remind legislators and governors and civic leaders of their duties and responsibilities to the people and their communities.

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So much of what non-Nevadans think about our state is what, frankly, we advertise and show off -- casinos and vice, marketed on the grandest of scales. There’s nothing wrong with this, and tourism is obviously a critical part of our economy. But an economy that depends too much on bringing in strangers and inviting them to do things they’d never do in their own homes is perhaps not one that fills people with a sense of civic pride. Maybe this is why we still too often give our tax dollars away to a wealthy few and their entertainment venues, or elect city councilmen who would deprive thousands of students of a needed new school if it means keeping a golf course intact.

Our unique shared celebration is the perfect antidote for all of this. There is a special poignancy to Nevada Day, especially for those of us transplanted here from elsewhere, who have chosen to call this place our home. Like the outpouring of love and community we saw after the horrific attack on our friends, neighbors, and guests a month ago, the Nevada Day parade is the true reflection of the people and potential of this state.

Nevada has always been more than just a place for tourists to come, and we have always been so much more than just a strip of casinos. In the decade that I’ve called this place my home, I feel more and more of our community potential has been unlocked, as we continue to diversify our economy and explore new career paths and opportunities for our citizens. So long as we continue this focus, insisting on planning ahead through prioritizing education, and removing burdensome regulations too often designed to limit competition and new entrepreneurs instead of encouraging their creativity and proliferation, our potential is limitless.

Nevada Day is a wonderful opportunity to remind ourselves of the best of who we are. If we keep the spirit of this day in mind all year long, it can spur us to be the best we can be.

Orrin Johnson has been writing and commenting on Nevada and national politics since 2007. He started with an independent blog, First Principles, and was a regular columnist for the Reno Gazette-Journal from 2015-2016. By day, he is a deputy district attorney for Carson City. His opinions here are his own. Follow him on Twitter @orrinjohnson, or contact him at [email protected].